“Love is an action, a participatory emotion.”
— bell hooks, All About Love
“For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.
”
— Carl Sagan, Contact

[image description: a photo of tash shatz, a balding white person with tattoos, a beard, and glasses. they are smiling while standing in a park on a river, tash is wearing a floral short sleeved button up over a plain gray shirt.] photo credit LW 2024

who I am: a lineage of social justice work

Growing up in a rural, fundamentalist environment and understanding my Jewish lineage first called me to the struggles of social justice.

Coming out as queer and transgender at an early age taught me about discrimination.

Being a survivor of childhood sexual violence showed me how systems meant to help can hurt.

Living with visible and invisible disabilities as an adult reminds me how the world was not built equitably for everyone.

Mentorship from Roslyn Farrington introduced me to bell hooks and Audre Lorde, driving me to act against racism as a white person.

Believing in “tikkun olam,” the idea that humans have the potential to repair the world, is what keeps me going.

Today, I strive to balance mainstream models of leadership and facilitation with reverence for models developed in marginalized communities.

I am a movement worker. I believe that justice is a possibility and compassion is a necessity. As a trust builder, problem solver, and strategic thinker, I bring a gentle, focused approach to my work.

what I do: facilitation, coaching, strategy

  • Racial Equity and Restorative Process work through Sidney Morgan’s Red Sea Road Consulting LLC

    Psychological Safety in the Workplace through Amanda Singh Bans M.A. LCSW, Resonance Therapy

    LGBTQ+, Transgender, and intersectional gender justice work including partner facilitators as needed

    Community and staff feedback processes such as assessments, surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, etc, with approachable facilitation that centers communities most impacted

    Political education trainings customized to fit the needs of the group, exploring the history and intersections of race, class, gender, (dis)ability, and more

  • Train-the-trainer to grow facilitation skills among individuals or groups

    Executive coaching (regardless of title) with non-judgement and compassion while centering race, gender, and power

    Adapting skills to new realities, including how to effectively facilitate virtual meetings, workshops, and trainings

    Curriculum development and refinement, including building, writing, editing, innovating, and/or compiling material for learning

  • Strategic planning ranging from individual projects to organization-wide multi-year processes

    Change management and systems development in times of transition and conflict

    Analyzing and reporting on data in accessible ways, including organizational equity assessments

[image description: the first Assertive Engagement Facilitator Cohort, a group of two dozen amazing advocates posing for a photo in a conference center] 2017

[image description: tash standing with a microphone in front a powerpoint screen; on screen four boxes read “unions and workplaces, cities & counties, legislator education, and legal & administrative action” pointing towards a center circle with “Oregon bans insurance discrimination”] 2013

  • The best way to find out if I might be helpful to you is to reach out and have a conversation - let me know what you know so far about your needs, timeline, and budget. If I’m not the right person for the job, I’ll connect you with other fantastic folks in my networks.

  • I believe that change work requires sustained resources and thoughtful adaptability.

    I work on a sliding scale based on the overall budget of an individual, group, or organization. Each situation is unique and I bring a spirit of transparency and generosity. My scale starts at $50/hour and is informed by AORTA’s sliding scale and Rockwood Leadership Institute’s scale.

    As an independent contractor I incur all employment taxes and operating costs. A minimum of 10% of my income is redistributed both to organizations and individuals. (Why individuals? Learn more here about cash assistance/mutual aid as a strategy.)

  • For over 20 years, tash shatz (they/them) has been involved in social change work. As a Jewish transgender youth with disabilities, tash became an educator by necessity in 2004. Since then, tash has served as a LGBTQ policy and community organizer, an advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and a consultant and coach on organizational development and racial equity. For their work, tash has received awards and recognition from Basic Rights Oregon, Northwest Gender Alliance, Portland State University Office of the President, PSU Sexual and Gender Equality Task Force, Queer Heroes Northwest, and The Trans 100.

  • tash shatz - they/them

    To learn more about why I lowercase my name, check out my blog on this topic.

    Check out pronouns.org for lots of frequently asked questions.

    Or explore this resource I created on Introducing Pronouns in Group Spaces.

work I’ve been part of

 

blogs by tash

Featured
i hope this helps
i hope this helps

Community can be an antidote to isolation. Thinking of what I have to offer, here are some of my poems plus resources, people, podcasts that are helping me in hopes they may help you too.

Read More →
heartbreaking anger and high holidays
heartbreaking anger and high holidays

I am wondering, what good is being self-reflective when I am terrified that our holy days will be nationalistically weaponized by the state of Israel’s expanding violence? While here on turtle island, Islamophobia and Antisemitism are both being effectively stoked in schools and beyond.

Read More →
lucky number thirteen
lucky number thirteen

What does it mean that a number associated with the divine feminine became so “unlucky” that buildings continue to uncount their thirteenth floors? Keywords that come to mind: misogyny, monotheism, misinformation. 

Read More →


working from the occupied lands of the original people including the Chinook, Cowlitz, Grand Ronde, Siletz, and many other tribes 

I operate on a sliding-scale based on the size and budget of a group. contact me and let’s explore working together.

ten percent of all my funds are redistributed to individuals and organizations.

Cart (0)